Snap fastener



C. L. KNUTSON SNAP FASTENER Sept. 18, 1934.

Filed MaIGh 30, 1933 v Invenor:

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 SNAP FASTENER Carl L. Knutson, Maywood, Ill., assignor'to Cinch Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a

`corporation of Illinois Application MarchABO, 1933, Serial No. 663,512

12Claims. (Cl. ,Z4-211) My invention aims to provide improvements in separable snap fastener members and relates particularly to flush type sockets andthe attachment' thereof.

In thev drawing which) illustrates a` preferred embodiment ofv my invention:-

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a ush typeV socket attachedtoapiece of wood;

- Fig. 2 isa section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the socket in side elevation and the attaching prongs-insocket-securing position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Figi. 2;'

Fig. 4 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 2 but showing the relationship of the parts before the attaching prongs are forced into socketsecuring position; Fig. 5 is a complete section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 6- includes a side elevation and an end elevation, respectively, of the socket-attaching member as it appears before being flattened; and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4, the supporting structure being omitted.

Referring to the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated by the annexed drawing, I have shown a so-called flush ty-pe snap fastener socket which i-s particularly adapted to be attached to a structure composed of' wood or like material or a combination thereof with a metal covering. vI-Ieretofore the most popular manner of securing flush type sockets to wood or the like was bythe use of a screw attached to the bottom of the socket.V

The socket illustrated is in the form of a tubular hollow barrel having a cup-shaped portion 1 and a stud-engaging cover member 2 secured to the open end of the cup-shaped member 1 Y(Fig.

5) and provided with a stud-receiving aperture 8. Thel cup-shaped portion 1 has a bottom wall Il, a plurality of apertures 5 in the side wall 6 and prong-positioning indentations 7 formedbetwreen the apertures 5 adjacent to the bottom, as best illustrated in Figs. 2; 5 and '7'.

Within the socket I have assembled an attachingmember 8, normally shaped -as illustrated in Fig. 6, and having a plurality of sharp pointed prongs 9 cooperating with the aperturesy 5. I have also provided within the socket an axially movable closure plate 10 normally pressed into aperture-closing position by a spring 11 interposedv between the plate 10j and the attaching prongs 9.

It isa very simple Ymatter to assemble the parts ofthesocket, which isA accomplished as follows.

First, the attaching member 8; is dropped into the cup-shaped portion 1 with the sharp pointed prongsv 9 facing toward the bottom 4. These prongs 9: contact with the prong-positioning indentations 'T which automatically turn the: at.- taching member '8 sol that the ends oil the prongs will be in'ali'gnrnent with the apertures 5. The spring 11 isA next dropped into. the cup-shaped part to surround the attaching part 8. rIhen the closure plate 10 is placed over the spring and finally the cover member 2 is placed over the open end ofthe cup-shaped member 1 and its peripheral edge 1-2 is crimped over the flange 1:3 at the free edge of the cup.

The supporting structure illustrated includes a piece of wood 14 and' a thin sheet metal piece Y1'5. (Fig. 2) into which is drilled a hole- 16. To. as-

semble the socket with the supporting structure it is merely necessary to. insert the cup-shaped portion 1 into the hole 16 until the peripheral edge l2 of the cover contacts with the metal plate 15,A as best illustrated in Fig. 4. The depth of the hole 16- is not particularly important as'long as it is deep enough to permit Contact oi the Thereafter a suitable tool (not shown) is entered through the stud-receiving aperture 3 and, engaged with the closure plate 10.

'Ihe tool may then be pushed or struck a blow thereby forcing the closure plate 10 into contact with the attaching member 8 against the pressure. of the spring 11. During this operation the attaching member 8 is substantially flattened and the sharp pointed prongs 9 are forced outwardly through the apertures 5 into embedded relation `with the wood 14, as best illustrated in Figs. 2,

3 and 5. Thus the attaching prongs prevent the socket from. falling out oi thel hole 16. even if `there is considerableshrinkage of the Wood 14.

My improved fastener and installation thereof l Vare very simple, durable and relatively inexpensive. 'Ihe method of attachment, is not necessarily limited to a support formed of wood.- but may be used in connection with any composition lwhich can be penetrated by the attaching prongs. l

peripheral edge 12 with the outer face of the T80 struc-ture.

prising, in combination, a supporting structure of substantial thickness having a bore therein, a snap fastener member having a hollow barrel portion extending into the bore in said supporting structure, an attaching member located inside of the said barrel portion and having a prong extending through the barrel portion and outwardly into embedded relation to the supporting structure to hold the barrel portion in place and snap fastener means presented by the barrel portion for snap fastening engagement with a cooperating fastener member.

2. A snap fastener member installation comprising, in combination, a supporting structure of substantial thickness having a bore therein, a snap fastener member having a hollow barrel portion extending into the bore in said supporting structure, an attaching member located inside of the said barrel portion and having a plurality of prongs extending through the barrel portion and outwardly into embedded relation to the supporting structure to hold the barrel portion in place and snap fastener means presented by the barrel portion forv snap fastening engagement with a cooperating fastener member.

3. A snap fastener member installation comprising, in combination, a supporting structure of substantial thickness having a bore therein, a snap fastener member having a hollow barrel portion extending into the bore in said supporting structure and provided with apertures through the peripheral wall, an attaching member located inside of the said barrel portion and having a plurality of prongs each of which extends through a corresponding aperture in said barrel portion and outwardly into embedded relation to the supporting structure to hold the barrel portion in place and snap fastener means presented by the barrel portion for snap fastening engagement with a cooperating fastener member.

4. A snap fastener member installation comprising, in combination, a supporting structure of substantiai thickness having a bore therein, a snap fastener member having a hollow barrel portion extending into the bore in said supporting structure, a hump-shaped attaching portion provided with a plurality of prongs, said humpshaped attaching portion being attened and the prongs thereof extending through the barrel vportion and outwardly into embedded relation -to the supporting structure to hold the barrel 4p ortion in place and snap fastener means presented by the barrel portion for snap fastening engagement with a cooperating fastener member.

5. A snap fastener socket installation comprising, in combination, a wooden supporting structure having a bore therein, a socket member of tubular shape having an aperture at one end thereof for receiving a cooperatng stud, said socket being countersunk into the bore in said supporting structure and an attaching member 'having a plurality of prongs and also means operable to force the prongs outwardly through and beyond the outer peripheral wall of the barrel portion.

7. A snap fastener member of the class described having a cup-shaped barrel portion provided with apertures in the peripheral wall thereof adjacent to the bottom, an attaching member normally located entirely inside the barrei portion and having a plurality of sharp pointed prongs with their ends extending outwardly from said attaching member into the apertures in the barrel portion, said attaching member having a hump shaped and arranged to collapse under pressure so that the prongs may be forced outwardly through the apertures in the barrel portion to attach the fastener member to a suitable supporting structure,

8. A snap fastener member of the class described having a cup-shaped barrel portion provided with apertures in the peripheral wall thereof adjacent to the bottom, an attaching member locatedv inside the barrel portion and having a plurality of sharp pointed prongs extending into the apertures in the barrel portion, said attaching member being shaped and arranged to collapse under pressure so that the prongs may be forced outwardly through the apertures in the barrel portion to attach the fastener member to a suitable supporting structure and prong-positioning guides in said barrel portion adjacent to the said apertures therein for properly positioning the prong of the attaching member relative to the said aperture.

9. A iiush type snap fastener socket having a tubular barrel portion provided with a stud-receiving aperture at one end thereof, a bottom at the other end thereof, a plurality of apertures in said barrel portion adjacent to the bottom, a hollow cup-shaped attaching member located in said barrel portion and cut out to form attaching prongs beginning at the bottom of said attaching member adjacent to the stud-receiving aperture and extending into the apertures in the tubular barrel portion and being adapted to be pressed outwardly through said apertures when pressure is applied to flatten the attaching member by a tool inserted through the stud-receiving aperture.

10. A flush type snap fastener socket having a tubular barrel portion provided with a studreceiving aperture at one end thereof, a bottom at the other end thereof, a plurality of apertures in said barrel portion adjacent to the bottom, an attaching member located in said barrel portion and having attaching prongs beginning adjacent to the stud-receiving aperture and extending into the apertures in the tubular barrel portion and being adapted to be pressed outwardly through said apertures when pressure is applied to the attaching member by a tool inserted through the stud-receiving aperture, a closure plate axially movable in said tubular barrel portion and a spring interposed between the closure plate and the prongs of the attaching member and normally pressing the closure plate into a position closing the stud-receiving aperture.

11. A flush type snap fastener socket comprising a tubular barrel member having a cup-shaped portion 1 and a cover plate 2 provided with a stud-receiving aperture 3, a plurality of apertures 5 in said cup-shaped portion 1 adjacent to the bottom thereof, an attaching member 8 located within the cup-shaped portion and having a plurality of sharp pointed prongs 9 adapted to pass out through the apertures 5 when the cup-shaped member is flattened and a plurality of prong-positioning portions 7 formed in said cup-shaped located inside of said barrel portion and having a plurality of prongs extending through the barrel portion and outwardly into embedded relation to the supporting structure to hold the barrel portion in place and an aperture in one end of the barrel portion for access to the attaching member to force the prongs through the barrel portion. CARL L. KNUTSON. 

